Spotify is working on "category defining" music hardware
Even with competition coming from giants like Google, Amazon, and Apple, Spotify still seems to be the go-to music streaming service for a lot of people. That may no longer be good enough, though, and Spotify could be looking to break into the hardware game as well. That's what a new job listing suggests, at any rate.
First uncovered by Zats Not Funny, the job listing says that Spotify is looking for a senior product manager for hardware. The job listing doesn't speak in specific terms, but that's likely because Spotify doesn't know what it wants to make yet. Instead, the listing says that the person who eventually gets the job will define "the product requirements for internet-connected hardware," along with the software that powers it.
The listing also compares this project to a number of existing products. Spotify wants someone to create a piece of hardware that will be "category defining," such as "Pebble Watch, Amazon Echo, and Snap Spectacles." So, it looks like Spotify isn't interested in a me-too approach to hardware development.
What could it be planning, though? Spotify's phrasing in the job listing suggests that it won't settle for just another smart speaker like Google Home or Amazon Echo. Still, a second job listing for a product manager for voice suggests that Spotify is interesting is developing *something* that supports voice controls, much like those existing speakers.
We'll just have to wait it out and watch for a hardware announcement from Spotify. Understandably, Spotify is keeping its lips sealed for the time being, and considering the tone of these listings – which suggest that development on hardware has yet to really begin – we probably won't hear anything for quite some time. Stay tuned, but in the meantime, head down to the comments section and let us know if you'd buy Spotify-branded music hardware.